Sam: That’s great to hear. I am great as well. Okay today is our third culture class. I am really impatient today. What’s today’s topic?

Lesson focus

Céline: Sam, you are impatient and I know why. Today, we are going to talk about what to do or not on French beaches. Les plages françaises.

Sam: Oh that sounds really exciting. Do French people like to go to the beach?

Sylvain: They do.

Sam: So when is the best time to go to the beach?

Céline: July and August. That’s when French people are taking the summer holidays as Sylvain said.

Sylvain: French usually spend a weekend or three weeks at the beach.

Sam: Whoa!

Sylvain: Yes.

Sam: Three weeks! So if I wanted to go to the beach in France, where should I go?

Sylvain: You have plenty of choices. La mer du Nord.

Sam: The North Sea.

Sylvain: La Manche.

Sam: The English Channel.

Sylvain: L’Océan Atlantique.

Sam: The Atlantic ocean.

Sylvain: La Mer Méditerrannée.

Sam: The Mediterranean Sea.

Sylvain: And for high budget, l’Outre-Mer.

Sam: Overseas French departments.

Sylvain: They are the main sea resort in France. You should choose your destination according to what you want to do.

Céline: Exactement. Exactly Sylvain. If you’re into surfing, go to the Atlantic side especially Biarritz where the waves are big. There is a famous surfing competition there every summer. All the Atlantic coast is also great for Jet skiing.

Sam: How about partying?

Sylvain: With no hesitation, the French Riviera.

Céline: Yes, oui, you can enjoy beach private parties with famous international DJs and if you are lucky, you can make VIPs friends who would invite you to the night parties on luxury yachts.

Sam: Sounds exciting. Are French beaches free?

Céline: It depends. You may have to pay to go to private beaches but most of them are free.

Sam: So how about a family vacation?

Sylvain: To the north, if you don’t mind Stone Beaches but it’s cooler or the Atlantic is also nice. Useful precision. You have to take care about tides when you go to the beach because in France, they are as fast as a horse running. I don’t know if your horse runs but tides in French is “les marées”. Les marées.

Sam: Ah the tides. So we should be careful when we go to the beach in France right?

Sylvain: You always have to know when they are down and up.

Sam: Ah low tide and high tide.

Sylvain: Yeah, yeah…

Céline: Exactement.

Sam: Oh!

Sylvain: Take care about that.

Céline: But in the Atlantic side only.

Sam: On the Atlantic side only.

Sylvain: Yeah for sure. No problem in the Mediterranean I think?

Céline: Non.

Sam: Okay great. So do you eat cheese on the beach?

Sylvain: No, no we don’t, we don’t. We eat “chouchous”. Chouchou are peanuts with caramel. There is a guy who yells: chouchou, chouchou!

Céline: Yes many people want to sell you things on the beach. Don’t hesitate to ignore them or just say I don’t speak French with an American accent and they would not bother you again.

Sam: Ah good point. So maybe the “chouchou” man is like the ice cream man in America.

Céline: Umm maybe yeah.

Sylvain: You can picnic on the beach or better enjoy seafood in the restaurant.

Céline: Try to not to be loud and noisy. Don’t play music with a sound system as there will be probably one on the beach.

Sylvain: And if you are a woman, we strongly recommend you to be topless.

Sam: Really?

Sylvain: Yes!

Céline: Oui. Really. Basically women are topless on the beach. Don’t feel embarrassed as everybody goes like that only on the beach. Don’t go topless at the supermarket. For men, you can wear everything but wear something please.

Sylvain: Well my dear Céline not exactly. If you go to a place called “Le Cap d’Agde” you can enjoy the beach without clothes, nothing. You are naked as a worm.

Sam: Céline, you have to confirm that.

Céline: Oui Sam. That’s true. Le Cap d’Agde is the most popular and the biggest nudist spot in France. People enjoy with friends and family.

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